Vine furniture options and important nuances you need to know about
If you want to create an interesting design, then you can purchase furniture made of twigs. Its main feature is a unique structure, which is obtained by interweaving thin rods between themselves or around the frame. At the end of the process, unusual, attractive furniture is obtained. Wicker sofas and armchairs, due to their originality, are suitable for interior design in various styles: Scandinavian, country, classic. To enjoy the beauty and convenience for a long time, you need to know the nuances of choice, care and use.
Advantages and disadvantages
To create furniture from the rod, you need to spend a lot of time and effort. The result is an original wicker sofa or chair, which has its pros and cons. Benefits:
- Low price;
- Environmental friendliness: wicker furniture is created from natural materials in which there are no harmful substances;
- Easy to carry: the finished product is lightweight;
- Ease of maintenance: cleaned with a normal damp cloth;
- It does not have an unpleasant pungent odor;
- The original appearance.
Disadvantages:
- It quickly deteriorates when stored improperly: in the sun, in the rain;
- The twigs of the vine after several years of use may become loose. It is difficult to repair wicker furniture yourself.
So that the shortcomings of the furniture made of twigs do not affect the service life, it is enough to study the rules for storing wicker products.
Varieties
Willow vine, the furniture from which is most often available for purchase, is popular because of affordability and flexibility. Different types of furniture are made from rods using the weaving technique:
- Dining and coffee tables - product forms are different. Worktops are made using openwork technique. They look exquisite. Tables are made in the standard form - with legs, and in Asian technology - as tall boxes;
- Chairs, stools and pouffes - thanks to metal and wooden inserts, wicker products can withstand the weight of the average person;
- Armchairs and rocking chairs - the vine has a wonderful property: it does not heat up much and does not overcool. Armchairs are decorated with openwork handles, elegant and comfortable backs and seats, so relaxing on them is a pleasure. A wicker chair can be the highlight of an office, living room or terrace, as furniture or decoration;
- Sofas - thanks to a combination of openwork weaving and a metal or wooden frame, a durable and beautiful product is obtained that can withstand several people. The weight of the sofa itself is so small that it can be transported without much effort;
- Sunbeds and deckchairs - wicker beds are very comfortable: the body relaxes, the back takes the right shape and the spine rests;
- Cabinets and chests of drawers - places for storing clothes, dishes, and small things have smooth shapes. Boxes are ideal for storing textiles: weaving creates natural ventilation. Dressers and cabinets made of twigs are spacious and beautiful. To drawers moved forward smoothly, for furniture from the rod, runners are selected. With their help, using wicker cabinets becomes as convenient as ordinary wooden ones;
- Shelves - numerous shelves are needed in every house: they can store souvenirs, books and magazines. Wicker open cabinets do not take up much space and are easy to carry;
- Screens - portable partitions made of twigs are distinguished by their beauty and lightness. They have different heights and widths. Most models add up, so they are easy to store.
A separate category of wickerwork - children's furniture made of twigs. From malleable material can be made cradles, changing tables, cribs, carrying and much more. Products made of twigs are absolutely safe for health and have an attractive design.
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There are many options for weaving. All of them are used to create a specific product. If you combine several options for weaving, you will end up with beautiful and original furniture.
Type of weaving | Features |
Simple | Separate twigs are connected into one long rope and weaved between the posts in a spiral, creating weaving along the chain. Weaving should begin with the thick part of the twig, laying the vine alternately on each side, layering it, one above the other in a spiral. If the twig ends with a peak, then another must be attached to it and fastened. During weaving, you need to constantly monitor the density of the sticks so that there are no gaps, if this is required by the future model. If density is not important, then the distance between the sticks should also be the same. For maximum density with simple weaving, use 2 or 3 twigs. |
Layered | For this option, twigs of the same size are used, which are passed through one rack. Weaving begins on the left side. The thickest end is taken as a basis. Initially, 4 racks are braided, and the end remains outside. There is no need to press the rods. After that, the process moves to the opposite side. Each stand is braided evenly until the moment when all the rods are not woven and do not form a circle. All subsequent layers are woven in exactly the same way. The main thing is that on both sides the ends of the rods remain inside the product. |
Row weaving | The process goes like this: a wide part of the initial twig must be laid under the rack and lead to the end through one. The second twig is laid under another rack and weaved as the first to the end. Work continues until the row is completed. Next, the process of creating the second, third and subsequent rows begins. Weaving rows can be either one or several rods. Thanks to the combination of a thin and thick twig, a beautiful strip is obtained, which bends around the product in a spiral. Weaving in rows allows you to create cabinets, chests of drawers and drawers with dense surfaces. |
Square | Weaving begins, like any other species, from the thick end. It is carried out on the left side every two racks until the moment when 5 cm remains free on the rack. Then another twig is taken and a similar weaving begins, but already on the right side. The ends are necessarily brought out. In the same way, the following twigs are woven together to make a square: the height of the threaded row should be equal to the distance between the two posts. At the end of the first row with squares, weaving begins the second. You need to start it from the next rack. Thus, all squares are interlaced. You must carefully review the seals between the rows, especially in the place where the vine goes around the rack. Through this weaving are made chairs, tables, tables, drawers and chests of drawers. |
Rope | Rope type weaving is used to strengthen the walls of cabinets, chests of drawers and nightstands. And also it helps to fasten individual elements of openwork chairs or sofas. A distinctive feature of rope weaving - twigs braid not only racks, but also intertwined with each other. From the side, such an action in appearance looks like a rope. When creating furniture, several variants of rope weaving are used: in two, three, four, and even five rods. |
Herringbone | In order for the sofa or chest of drawers to have a herringbone pattern, it is necessary to use four or eight bars at once. Four-strand weaving can be divided into 2 paired rows so that each row can be weaved separately in a rope way. Each of the rows weaves in the opposite direction to each other. Weaving eight twigs at the same time is very difficult. Therefore, you need to weave 4 twigs in a row on both sides. The first four rods are woven on the bottom right, and the remaining rods are woven on the top left. Christmas-tree weaving gives strength to the product. Through the "Christmas tree" made boxes, drawers, cabinets, cribs. |
Openwork weaving | Such weaving differs from others in that when it is used, open cells can be obtained. Usually openwork weaving is combined with other types of weaving. Distinguish between complex and simple openwork weaving. With the help of complex lace, you can depict various drawings, figures. And if desired, you can reproduce the pattern of any fabric lace. Openwork weaving is used to create cribs, chairs, sofas. |
Any type of weaving can be attributed to one of two main categories of weaving furniture: frame and frameless. In the first case, to give strength and shape, a metal or wooden frame (bed, sofa) is used. In the second - the product is completely woven from a rod (armchair, chest of drawers, stove bench).
SimpleRow weavingTraceryLayeredSquareHerringboneCare Features
In order not only to maintain a beautiful appearance, but also to extend the life of the furniture, it is enough to simply follow some rules:
- If wicker furniture is on the terrace or balcony, it is likely that it will dry out under the sun and begin to creak. To get rid of the creak, it is enough 1-2 times a month to cover the furniture with a wet bedspread. Over the course of several hours or nights, the vine will absorb the right amount of moisture and become like new;
- A chair or sofa wet with rain should be dried in natural conditions. It is better to use a warm and ventilated room for this. From a stream of hot air, wicker products deteriorate and deform;
- To clean the bed or chair from dust, just walk through the product with a vacuum cleaner. You can remove more complex dirt with a sponge and a brush. Occasionally, you can pour furniture from a hose with warm water. Use the wicker bed or chair for its intended purpose only after complete drying;
- Rocking chairs or sun loungers that stand on the balcony or terrace, in bad weather or cold seasons, it is best to cover with a blanket or put in a ventilated room.
Subject to the rules of care, wicker furniture will delight you and your guests for a long period of time.
Selection rules
When choosing wicker furniture, ask your consultant what technology the sofa or bed was made of. The strength and flexibility of the rods depends on the type of processing. Ideally, the vine should be boiled in a certain way. As a result, the rods acquire special flexibility, therefore, during weaving, kinks are excluded. Such treatment kills all microorganisms that could settle on natural material.
Quality furniture is always varnished so that it can be easily washed. Wicker sofas and loungers, varnished, can be left in wet weather on the street, without fear for damage to property. It is necessary to carefully examine the product so that there are no holes.
Particular attention should be paid to the joints, the fewer they are, the longer the furniture will last. It’s best to test the furniture before you buy it: sit on a chair, lie down on a bed, swing on a rocking chair. If you hear a crack, then refuse to purchase. It is likely that the furniture is not made according to technology. A barely audible creak is permissible and should not affect the choice. Also check the cabinets: the skids for the drawers must be attached properly, the stroke is soft.
Wicker products for the interior are made from several types of vines. Each of them is distinguished by the thickness of the rod. The first view is not a sanded thin twig. It is inexpensive, but also does not last long. A sofa woven from such a vine will last for a couple of years of use. The second option is a peeled and thick willow twig. A bed of such material will be expensive, but its service life will be long.